russian tortoise

Squiggles

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Arlington heights Illinois
Good Afternoon

I posted here a week ago with some questions about care for Speedy and was told to read the care sheet. Very Informative. I now have additional questions I'm hoping I can get answers for. I feel like the little guy has been cheated the last few years by my care.

I have been on an impossible mission to find orchid bark and the only reason I have to believe it exists is the care sheet said so and I find directions to make it. I did find out that orchid bark is mainly pine bark, peat moss and maybe perlite. Can I just use pine bark? I bought 2 blocks of coconut coir, added water and it turned into something similar to sand, just not as gritty. Can this still be used, or will he eat it and it make him sick? I can't get the guy to eat and was thinking it was his enclosure, so I'm trying to fix that now. Any suggestions on getting him to eat i would appreciate. I guess thats all for now, I am really excited I found this forum and hope I can give him what he deserves.
 

Sarah2020

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Hi orchid bark is just fir bark no other additions.
I just searched past lists on orchid bark and found this..... 24 quart bags of repti-bark on Chewy.com for $17.28
It is recommended you get a plant water sprayer and keep it damp to provide a humid environment.
Hope this helps?
 

wellington

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Yes, the reptile bark if you can get that is fine too. Otherwise orchid bark can usually be found at places like home depot.
The coconut coir is safe to use also.
If you post a pic of the enclosure and list the temps of basking spot, all over and night and type of lights and heat using, also diet and humidity, we can help you more on what might be causing him not to eat.
 

OkAdiza

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Good Afternoon

I posted here a week ago with some questions about care for Speedy and was told to read the care sheet. Very Informative. I now have additional questions I'm hoping I can get answers for. I feel like the little guy has been cheated the last few years by my care.

I have been on an impossible mission to find orchid bark and the only reason I have to believe it exists is the care sheet said so and I find directions to make it. I did find out that orchid bark is mainly pine bark, peat moss and maybe perlite. Can I just use pine bark? I bought 2 blocks of coconut coir, added water and it turned into something similar to sand, just not as gritty. Can this still be used, or will he eat it and it make him sick? I can't get the guy to eat and was thinking it was his enclosure, so I'm trying to fix that now. Any suggestions on getting him to eat i would appreciate. I guess thats all for now, I am really excited I found this forum and hope I can give him what he deserves.

Coconut coir is ok for your tortoise, but I don't personally use it so I am not sure about it turning sandy. Orchid bark is great and is fir bark. You want only fir bark, not a bag with extra things, especially perlite. Reptibark is orchid bark. You can get that at Petsmart or Petco. Petco is currently having a really good sale on Reptibark. It's only $7.69 for a 24 quart bag. Just got some bags myself.
 

Krista S

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Coconut coir is ok for your tortoise, but I don't personally use it so I am not sure about it turning sandy. Orchid bark is great and is fir bark. You want only fir bark, not a bag with extra things, especially perlite. Reptibark is orchid bark. You can get that at Petsmart or Petco. Petco is currently having a really good sale on Reptibark. It's only $7.69 for a 24 quart bag. Just got some bags myself.
@Squiggles this is some excellent advice you’ve been given here. I think what you may have found is a mixture that is put together for orchid flowers, but that isn’t what you want. Do not use pine or you will make your tortoise sick. Fir bark, orchid bark and reptibark are all the same thing. If you can get it for $7.59 per 24 quart bag like @OkAdiza says then that’s a steal. That same product is $34.99 where I live. You can also check out garden centres and greenhouses. There is will likely be sold as fir bark and you want to get fine grade, which just means the pieces will be smaller. I do not recommend using peat moss. It is too acidic and it can damage you tortoises shell. You could try coconut coir, but I’ve never used it, so I can’t comment on it. I started out using peat moss and reptibark on top until I started to see damage on my tortoise plastron and shortly after learned that it’s highly acidic. Since then I use just the bark and my little guy seems happy with that.
 

Mrs.Jennifer

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Good Afternoon

I posted here a week ago with some questions about care for Speedy and was told to read the care sheet. Very Informative. I now have additional questions I'm hoping I can get answers for. I feel like the little guy has been cheated the last few years by my care.

I have been on an impossible mission to find orchid bark and the only reason I have to believe it exists is the care sheet said so and I find directions to make it. I did find out that orchid bark is mainly pine bark, peat moss and maybe perlite. Can I just use pine bark? I bought 2 blocks of coconut coir, added water and it turned into something similar to sand, just not as gritty. Can this still be used, or will he eat it and it make him sick? I can't get the guy to eat and was thinking it was his enclosure, so I'm trying to fix that now. Any suggestions on getting him to eat i would appreciate. I guess thats all for now, I am really excited I found this forum and hope I can give him what he deserves.
I completely understand! I found this forum and realized I was not providing optimal living conditions for my Russian tortoise (due to “reliable” advice). I read Tom’s caresheet, asked questions and changed his husbandry. He is now thriving, and I am so thrilled that his life has been made better. Welcome! You and Speedy are in excellent hands!
 

Cathie G

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Good Afternoon

I posted here a week ago with some questions about care for Speedy and was told to read the care sheet. Very Informative. I now have additional questions I'm hoping I can get answers for. I feel like the little guy has been cheated the last few years by my care.

I have been on an impossible mission to find orchid bark and the only reason I have to believe it exists is the care sheet said so and I find directions to make it. I did find out that orchid bark is mainly pine bark, peat moss and maybe perlite. Can I just use pine bark? I bought 2 blocks of coconut coir, added water and it turned into something similar to sand, just not as gritty. Can this still be used, or will he eat it and it make him sick? I can't get the guy to eat and was thinking it was his enclosure, so I'm trying to fix that now. Any suggestions on getting him to eat i would appreciate. I guess thats all for now, I am really excited I found this forum and hope I can give him what he deserves.
I couldn't find orchid bark either and then found out that Repti bark is orchid bark here on TFO. I already was using it and mix it about half and half with coco coir I bought it from Lowe's (natural of course). But my coco coir was never sandy more like a soil. I do make sure the mix stays moist. As far as eating goes try to let him have quiet time alone with the food. I use the sneak method to keep an eye on my Russian to this day. If he's eating when I take a peek I step back and hope he hasn't seen or heard me. With him he'll stop eating because he wants to go outside. With yours it might just be a lot of changes. Best hopes and prayers ?
 

OkAdiza

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@Squiggles this is some excellent advice you’ve been given here. I think what you may have found is a mixture that is put together for orchid flowers, but that isn’t what you want. Do not use pine or you will make your tortoise sick. Fir bark, orchid bark and reptibark are all the same thing. If you can get it for $7.59 per 24 quart bag like @OkAdiza says then that’s a steal. That same product is $34.99 where I live. You can also check out garden centres and greenhouses. There is will likely be sold as fir bark and you want to get fine grade, which just means the pieces will be smaller. I do not recommend using peat moss. It is too acidic and it can damage you tortoises shell. You could try coconut coir, but I’ve never used it, so I can’t comment on it. I started out using peat moss and reptibark on top until I started to see damage on my tortoise plastron and shortly after learned that it’s highly acidic. Since then I use just the bark and my little guy seems happy with that.
I almost didn't believe the price myself. But it definitely was only $7.69 each before tax. I got three of the 24 qt bags for $23! :eek:. @Squiggles check Petco's website. And if you have a store nearby you can take in the price from the site on your phone and they will honor the online price if it's not in stores.
 

Squiggles

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Arlington heights Illinois
I almost didn't believe the price myself. But it definitely was only $7.69 each before tax. I got three of the 24 qt bags for $23! :eek:. @Squiggles check Petco's website. And if you have a store nearby you can take in the price from the site on your phone and they will honor the online price if it's not in stores.
Thank you. I did just that. Someone, somewhere made a mistake. I drove around and bought 7 of them. I used one bag in Speedy's cage and when I build him a bigger one I suspect it will be 2 or 3.
 

LeahK

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I almost didn't believe the price myself. But it definitely was only $7.69 each before tax. I got three of the 24 qt bags for $23! :eek:. @Squiggles check Petco's website. And if you have a store nearby you can take in the price from the site on your phone and they will honor the online price if it's not in stores.
I ordered several bags on their website, and got an additional 20% off for using same day delivery, with no shipping charges. Not sure how that works, but I’m happy.
 

Mrs.Jennifer

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I ordered several bags on their website, and got an additional 20% off for using same day delivery, with no shipping charges. Not sure how that works, but I’m happy.
I went to my local Petco and they honored the online price! You can also lock in that price by setting up repeat ordering! Just did it myself!
 

OkAdiza

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I went to my local Petco and they honored the online price! You can also lock in that price by setting up repeat ordering! Just did it myself!
It’s great! I do that all the time. Petco will only honor their own online price, but also check Petsmarts who will honor any online price from a competitor. I actually had a repeat delivery coming this month for Reptibark from Petco, but switched the day to get those $7.69 bags (wasn’t sure how long this sale would last). But I’m not sure it locks in the price. From my previous repeat orders, it takes the price that is currently up at the time the order repeats.
 

Mrs.Jennifer

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It’s great! I do that all the time. Petco will only honor their own online price, but also check Petsmarts who will honor any online price from a competitor. I actually had a repeat delivery coming this month for Reptibark from Petco, but switched the day to get those $7.69 bags (wasn’t sure how long this sale would last). But I’m not sure it locks in the price. From my previous repeat orders, it takes the price that is currently up at the time the order repeats.
Good to know! I’ll check it the day before it’s supposed to ship.
 

Julie Anne

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Good Afternoon

I posted here a week ago with some questions about care for Speedy and was told to read the care sheet. Very Informative. I now have additional questions I'm hoping I can get answers for. I feel like the little guy has been cheated the last few years by my care.

I have been on an impossible mission to find orchid bark and the only reason I have to believe it exists is the care sheet said so and I find directions to make it. I did find out that orchid bark is mainly pine bark, peat moss and maybe perlite. Can I just use pine bark? I bought 2 blocks of coconut coir, added water and it turned into something similar to sand, just not as gritty. Can this still be used, or will he eat it and it make him sick? I can't get the guy to eat and was thinking it was his enclosure, so I'm trying to fix that now. Any suggestions on getting him to eat i would appreciate. I guess thats all for now, I am really excited I found this forum and hope I can give him what he deserves.
Good Afternoon

I posted here a week ago with some questions about care for Speedy and was told to read the care sheet. Very Informative. I now have additional questions I'm hoping I can get answers for. I feel like the little guy has been cheated the last few years by my care.

I have been on an impossible mission to find orchid bark and the only reason I have to believe it exists is the care sheet said so and I find directions to make it. I did find out that orchid bark is mainly pine bark, peat moss and maybe perlite. Can I just use pine bark? I bought 2 blocks of coconut coir, added water and it turned into something similar to sand, just not as gritty. Can this still be used, or will he eat it and it make him sick? I can't get the guy to eat and was thinking it was his enclosure, so I'm trying to fix that now. Any suggestions on getting him to eat i would appreciate. I guess thats all for now, I am really excited I found this forum and hope I can give him what he deserves.
I have six tortoises living outside I buy bales of Bermuda grass and fill their enclosure with that because it is it very nice under their feet I also put flat rocks throught their enclosure to walk on, but they can eat it so they’re never going to go hungry even if you can’t get out there one day for some reason. So Bermuda grass is a great substrate in their house and outside on the ground
 

Squiggles

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I have six tortoises living outside I buy bales of Bermuda grass and fill their enclosure with that because it is it very nice under their feet I also put flat rocks throught their enclosure to walk on, but they can eat it so they’re never going to go hungry even if you can’t get out there one day for some reason. So Bermuda grass is a great substrate in their house and outside on the ground
 

Squiggles

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I now have more questions that maybe I should already know. What is a Carrot bath? I could have miss read but the visual I have is ridiculous. What soil do you use for a dig box? The only sterilized soil I know of is seed starting soil and that has other stuff in it? I am getting ready to build Speedy a bigger cage doing something similar to the one made with the PVC Sheets but i can only find 1/2 inch not 3/4, if there is any reason not to use the 1/2 inch please tell me. Last for now, do the sides have to be 2 feet? My husband is telling me a foot high is tall enough but it seems like it should be taller. Thanks in advance
 

Mrs.Jennifer

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I now have more questions that maybe I should already know. What is a Carrot bath? I could have miss read but the visual I have is ridiculous. What soil do you use for a dig box? The only sterilized soil I know of is seed starting soil and that has other stuff in it? I am getting ready to build Speedy a bigger cage doing something similar to the one made with the PVC Sheets but i can only find 1/2 inch not 3/4, if there is any reason not to use the 1/2 inch please tell me. Last for now, do the sides have to be 2 feet? My husband is telling me a foot high is tall enough but it seems like it should be taller. Thanks in advance
I constructed a PVC enclosed chamber for my adult tortoise this past winter out of ½" PVC. You really do want it to be 2 feet tall. I live In Connecticut and I lower and raise the hanging lights depending on the season/ambient temperature. Also, the added benefit is that you can hang potted plants from the ceiling to help keep up the humidity—plus it looks lovely!
 

Sarah2020

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Hi carrot bath is generally only used when you have a sick or non eating tortoise and basically baby food Carrot puree is added to the warm shallow water the tortoise will soak in. Benefit is as they drink they also consume food. Hope that helps ...
 

Squiggles

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Thank you much for the info. I went to the hardware store today to find the 45-65 incandescent flood lights that the care sheet recommended and although they do sell them individually not a box of 12, the man at the hardware store said they don't give off heat or uv. Is the purpose for just light?
 

Krista S

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Thank you much for the info. I went to the hardware store today to find the 45-65 incandescent flood lights that the care sheet recommended and although they do sell them individually not a box of 12, the man at the hardware store said they don't give off heat or uv. Is the purpose for just light?
My guess is that it wasn’t an incandescent flood bulb, but rather an LED flood bulb. LED give off almost no heat. The purpose of the incandescent flood bulb is to give off heat and is usually used at the basking spot. It must be incandescent and not LED. Neither will give off UV, you need the T5 HO fixture and bulb for that in addition to the flood bulb.
 
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